Back to - Section 602 ~ failure to comply


Complaint # DOT 2006-0238

The SMART implementation of the bus service reductions on November 27, 2006 as a result of the City of Livonia, MI to opt out of the Wayne County Transit Authority (by public vote) is a violation against my civil rights, as protected by Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. This reduction resulted in a disparate impact on those who want to help those unable to drive. With fewer travel options than the majority population of the city and suburbs, they will bear the brunt of the cutbacks and the loss of over $2 Million per year in operating subsidies. This has harmed them, their families and their communities. Current tax laws in Michigan documents that the Michigan Dept. of Transportation (MDOT) must by federal law, have a positive obligation to ensure that the public transportation system is equally accessible to everyone.

Please deny federal funds as described in the SEMCOG TIP 2030 plan for the I-75 and I-94 freeway projects in and near Detroit, MI. The references provided to substantiate this complaint included https://savethefueltax.tripod.com/smart.pdf The SMART Millage Vote ~ shows the money for the Livonia public buses came from the state fuel tax under Act 51, prior to 1995. *(6) SEMCOG TIP 2030... TIP75 | TIP94 under "References and Publications" shows this same money being used to match federal funds to widen freeways.

The PDF document below is presented for the purpose of educating the public to protect state CTF money for SMART before August 2010, when the property tax expires. The meaning of no person in the United States was described as those who use existing bus service but this was not enough to convince the FTA to stop freeway expansions without first permanently funding and keeping essential public bus service. Thus the PDF becomes a good starting point to better understand the next section entitled "The morality of protecting existing tax funds" to publicly disqualify federal grants to expand freeways specifically for the Michigan Department of Transportation by the use of but not limited to ADA requirements.


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Click Here ~ Disparate impact complaint

Consistent with the guidance in Chapter III of Circular 4702.1, it is requested that SMART conduct a more detailed demographic analysis of the population that would be impacted, both positively and negatively, the changes in question.

~ Competition for limited funds has forced SMART officials to quit as shown on page 4 and elsewhere.

~ The organizations below all failed to work together to avoid the Livonia and Detroit public bus service reductions. Especially, for those who can least afford to pay higher mass transit tax increases.

Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG)
535 Griswold Street, Suite 300
Detroit, MI 48226

Michigan Dept. of Transportation (MDOT) - State Transportation Building
425 W. Ottawa St. P.O. Box 30050
Lansing, MI 48909

Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART)
535 Griswold Street, Suite 600
Detroit, Michigan 48226

Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) www.ci.detroit.mi.us/ddot
Attention: Customer Service Information Center
Comments & Suggestions
1301 E. Warren Ave.
Detroit, MI 48207

We can save and restore the SMART public bus system

The protection of funding and jobs are best obtained by educating the pubic to support written accords to force ADA compliance utilizing act 51 from the Michigan Department of Transportation. The proposed trolleys on Woodward Avenue and the Detroit to Ann Arbor commuter rail are best funded by private investments only until industry support is first documented and secured as essential to make transit taxes work.

Public transportation in Michigan lost $12.7 Million per year in the 1990's when sales taxes levied on vehicles, fuel, parts and accessories were shifted into the general fund. Since 1997 to 2004, millions of dollars were transferred from transit operating budgets to match federal grants. The three million dollar SEMCOG studies for new rail service received approval at the same time public bus routes were permanently eliminated in the cities of Detroit and Livonia on November 27, 2006. Since 1995, an estimated $13.2 Million per year was lost due to the lack of coordination between city and suburban public bus systems.

Prominent members of transit advocacy groups and regional transportation planners still claim that without an agreement for a regional transit authority, we will lose federal transit funds and employment opportunities. The issue of morality for those who live in poverty to coordinate all modes of transportation can prevail. Livonia residents brought strong industry support that filled many buses and increased the fare box to revenue ratio. Today, regional planners are working on a third regional transit agreement. But, will they remember the transit supportive city of Livonia this time? Will they remember the forty-five percent who voted to save SMART?


Back to - Section 602 ~ failure to comply

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